How many children are being helped at Vilaj Espwa, and how helpful are the local and regional and national administrations? What did the US do to Haiti, through the years, that has made it so hard for Haiti’s people to become self-sufficient and, how does a portable water purification system work and how many have been distributed by Water Projects international?

Drs Lawrence and Danielle Mutty are retired physicians living in Castine, ME. They first met in Montreal where Dr Danielle was born.

They will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary next summer.

Prior to retirement, they practiced in Augusta for many years following their move to Maine in 1977. For the past 5 years they have been going to Haiti once a year to help at a “orphanage” in Les Cayes called PWOJET ESPWA, which provides housing, food and education to over 650 youngsters and medical care to the surrounding community. They are planning another trip in March.

They chose Haiti to volunteer their services because Dr. Danielle speaks fluent French, which is the second dominant language in Haiti after Creole. Their interest in Haiti was also in large part due to a priest who served their parish in Castine and was chaplain at Maine Maritime Academy, in the late 80s, Father Marc Boisvert a French speaking native of Lewiston.

Father Marc left Castine to become a Navy Chaplain. The Navy assigned him to the base at Guantanamo Bay to help the Haitian refugees called “boat people”, because he also spoke fluent French., He went to Haiti himself in 1998 to see if he could help and has remained there ever since. It is to his orphanage and model village where the Muttys and other Maine physicians from St. Marys Hospital in Lewiston go every year bringing medical supplies and providing immunizations and basic medical care.

Gerry Brache

A volunteer member with Mount Desert Island Search & Rescue (MDISAR.ORG). We are a dedicated team of folks from around the local area. Since we are based on MDI we work closely with the Park Service and value the relationship we have fostered over the years. Although we provide all aspects of search and rescue capabilities, we specialize in high angle rope rescues. Being under the jurisdiction of the Maine Warden Service we are on call to service the entire state of Maine includingBaxter State Park if needed. On behalf of SOLO and myself, I want to send a sincere thanks to my fellow MDISAR team members for offering their generous donation to help fund my potential participation in the ongoing Haiti relief efforts.

Joining the discussion by telephone:

Dr. Cynthia DeSoi from Les Cayes, Haiti

Medical Director of Klinik Espwa at Vilaj Espwa in Haiti, Dr. DeSoi lives in Lewiston, ME and works at St. Mary’s Hospital in the Nephrology Department.

Justin Walker from near Port au Prince, Haiti

Justin is Founder and CEO of Water Projects International which is distributing water purifying systems to families in Haiti and other countries.

Dr. Robert Chagrasulis, Calais, ME

Dr. Chagrasulis recently returned from an emergency trip to Haiti where he joined a team of surgeons for several days of intensive treatment of traumatic injuries. Dr. Chagrasulis is President of the Calais Rotary Club which is sponsoring the “shelter box” program.